[Issue report] Package manager issues on multiple extensions update!

peopleinside

The issue

Update multiple extension can cause Flarum fatale error that forbid Flarum to load correctly.

Today different extension updates has been made, most from Friend of Flarum.
I use the package manager for update extension.

In the past I experienced that use the global update button can sometimes create fatal error on load Flarum so I use to update manually one by one extension but this seems to be not enough.

Today I updated 4 extension one by one and this caused the Flarum to be no more able to load.
No error logs on logs folder.

I through the issue was caused by one of the extension updated but was not. How I know this?
Because I start to revert update back and the community returned to work then I run the update again, this time clearing cache for each extension update. All extensions has been updated without errors and this also in another community.

I don't know where the Package Manager can cause Flarum to not load anymore after the update but maybe you need run Flarum cache command after each extension that has been updated.

Is not easy from the UI Interface because I need open two windows or simply navigate into the Dashboard for each extension updated then return to the Package Manager and start another extension update.

I report this because the Package Manager seems still be not completely safe to use.
Also the auto update scared me, also if will be nice in future have extensions that can be auto updated as in Wordpress, for example... but before do this maybe a system to prevent Flarum braking should be implemented.

Sometime Flarum can be broken if an extension is wrong in the code, has a bug or, as today, using Package Manager.
All extensions was working but using the Pacakge Manager for updating different extensions in the same time without clear the cache for each extension updated, caused Flarum to not load anymore.

Flarum information

Flarum core: 1.8.3
PHP version: 8.2.12
MySQL version: 10.6.12-MariaDB-0ubuntu0.22.04.1
Loaded extensions: Core, date, libxml, openssl, pcre, zlib, bz2, calendar, ctype, hash, filter, ftp, gettext, gmp, json, iconv, SPL, pcntl, random, readline, Reflection, session, standard, mbstring, SimpleXML, sockets, tokenizer, xml, mailparse, mysqlnd, bcmath, curl, dba, dom, enchant, fileinfo, gd, imagick, imap, intl, ldap, exif, mysqli, odbc, PDO, pdo_mysql, PDO_ODBC, pdo_pgsql, pdo_sqlite, pgsql, Phar, posix, pspell, redis, soap, sodium, sqlite3, sysvmsg, sysvsem, sysvshm, tidy, xmlreader, xmlwriter, xsl, zip, Zend OPcache
+-------------------------------------+---------------+--------+
| Flarum Extensions                   |               |        |
+-------------------------------------+---------------+--------+
| ID                                  | Version       | Commit |
+-------------------------------------+---------------+--------+
| flarum-flags                        | v1.8.0        |        |
| flarum-suspend                      | v1.8.1        |        |
| flarum-tags                         | v1.8.0        |        |
| flarum-approval                     | v1.8.0        |        |
| flarum-sticky                       | v1.8.0        |        |
| flarum-lock                         | v1.8.0        |        |
| afrux-forum-widgets-core            | v0.1.7        |        |
| fof-spamblock                       | 1.1.1         |        |
| fof-impersonate                     | 1.1.1         |        |
| flarum-mentions                     | v1.8.2        |        |
| flarum-subscriptions                | v1.8.0        |        |
| fof-byobu                           | 1.3.4         |        |
| v17development-seo                  | v1.8.0        |        |
| sycho-profile-cover                 | v1.3.5        |        |
| noriods-auto-more                   | v1.0.0        |        |
| nearata-twofactor                   | v2.2.1        |        |
| kilowhat-audit-free                 | 1.7.0         |        |
| justoverclock-welcomebox            | 2.0.2         |        |
| ianm-synopsis                       | 1.3.1         |        |
| fof-username-request                | 1.2.1         |        |
| fof-user-bio                        | 1.3.0         |        |
| fof-terms                           | 1.3.0         |        |
| fof-subscribed                      | 1.1.4         |        |
| fof-stopforumspam                   | 1.2.4         |        |
| fof-split                           | 1.1.1         |        |
| fof-socialprofile                   | 1.1.6         |        |
| fof-share-social                    | 1.1.3         |        |
| fof-recaptcha                       | 1.3.0         |        |
| fof-nightmode                       | 1.5.3         |        |
| fof-moderator-notes                 | 1.2.0         |        |
| fof-merge-discussions               | 1.4.1         |        |
| fof-links                           | 1.2.0         |        |
| fof-linguist                        | 1.1.2         |        |
| fof-ignore-users                    | 1.2.1         |        |
| fof-formatting                      | 1.0.3         |        |
| fof-follow-tags                     | 1.2.2         |        |
| fof-drafts                          | 1.2.8         |        |
| fof-disposable-emails               | 1.0.0         |        |
| fof-default-user-preferences        | 1.2.1         |        |
| fof-cookie-consent                  | 1.1.2         |        |
| flarum-statistics                   | v1.8.0        |        |
| flarum-pusher                       | v1.8.0        |        |
| flarum-package-manager              | v1.0.0-beta.2 |        |
| flarum-markdown                     | v1.8.0        |        |
| flarum-likes                        | v1.8.0        |        |
| flarum-lang-italian                 | 1.11.0        |        |
| flarum-lang-english                 | v1.8.0        |        |
| flarum-emoji                        | v1.8.0        |        |
| flarum-bbcode                       | v1.8.0        |        |
| flarum-akismet                      | v1.8.0        |        |
| dem13n-topic-starter-label          | 0.1.8         |        |
| clarkwinkelmann-first-post-approval | 1.0.1         |        |
| clarkwinkelmann-emojionearea        | 1.0.0         |        |
| blomstra-user-filter                | 0.1.4         |        |
| afrux-online-users-widget           | v0.1.6        |        |
| afrux-news-widget                   | v0.1.1        |        |
| afrux-forum-stats-widget            | v0.1.1        |        |
+-------------------------------------+---------------+--------+

Queue driver: sync
Session driver: file
Scheduler status: Active
Mail driver: smtp
Debug mode: off

GreXXL

peopleinside It's challenging to help you. What was the error you received? From what I see, you are not using a queue, meaning the package manager has to work everything without it. This might not improve the stability of more extensive changes. Still, it should work, and we want to learn more, so any information you can share is appreciated.

SychO

peopleinside I updated 4 extension one by one

Do you remember which extensions those were?

peopleinside

GreXXL It's challenging to help you. What was the error you received?

Update was done successfully but once I go back to Flarum the discussion was showed without a template and an alert said was not possible load correctly Flarum. I never took a screenshot.. is a shock every time an update cause this issue on my stable forum because I need fix asap so my attention was to resolve in shorter time possible.

I look at the error log but never found anything.

I suggest to test Package Manage more, to use it and maybe as me, in the future when more extensions update are avaiable the error can occur again.

GreXXL From what I see, you are not using a queue, meaning the package manager has to work everything without it

I see that there is this option, I don't know well what is. I have to see how to activate, if just turn the cursor on or if I need read more documentation : )

Update: I installed the queue extension and enabled it also in package manager.
I doubt the queue can resolve what happened, in my community the only one user is me 🙂

GreXXL

peopleinside if you have more information on another occasion, feel free to share it. I am testing package manager intensivly myself and haven't run into an issue yet.

luceos

peopleinside Update was done successfully but once I go back to Flarum the discussion was showed without a template and an alert said was not possible load correctly Flarum.

Did you try clearing the cache, either from admin or commandline? It feels like things weren't flushed if afterwards things did work well.

peopleinside I suggest to test Package Manage more, to use it and maybe as me, in the future when more extensions update are avaiable the error can occur again.

The package manager is actually available as a Beta for this specific reason. Use it at your own risk. Feedback, obviously is very much appreciated.

Also understand that the underlying logic of the package manager is rather complex and its use can vary in different environments. People testing it out on their own environments helps us understand the issues at hand and resolve those for the future stable release.

Subarist

Without using a queue, it will result in a 409 error.

With the queue enabled, global updates can proceed without any issues.

peopleinside

luceos Did you try clearing the cache, either from admin or commandline? It feels like things weren't flushed if afterwards things did work well.

I don't done this because in Plesk is very complicated.
I cannot use the command php flarum cache but I need give the full php patch that I don't know and need.. also navigate by SSH is a long process so i did not try but maybe the issue was something maybe related to that but Flarum was not able to load. This is very bad.

luceos The package manager is actually available as a Beta for this specific reason. Use it at your own risk. Feedback, obviously is very much appreciated.

I know and this is why I leaved my feedbcack here luceos for help and improve 🙂

peopleinside

@luceos the extension Database Queue required for the Package Manager cause two things that I want report and also generate me a question.

The first thing I can see, activating the queue when I search for update I need wait the searching process is queued and processed. If before the update check was immediately, now I have to wait some minutes and I need use the button showed to refresh the status of the queue for see if the update process check has been completed.

A list of previous queued task is showed in the Package Manager page. This list will clean itself with time? I see I cannot delete history.

I notice also when the update check is done I have to refresh manually the page to see if any update are available, this seems not very good. If the page is not refreshed seems there is no update available.

peopleinside

SychO
Sorry I don't remember, too much time past.

Also.. as I get not support about an issue created by the Package Manager and the use of the suggested queue, I removed the queue plugin.

SychO

peopleinside alright 👍️ if you're still using the package manager and something like this happens again, make sure to check the logs under storage/logs/composer and pick the latest one. It will contain the last command output which can make it easy to tell what went wrong.